Channel your energy productively to build successful pharma strategies
Our team of strategy healthcare consultancy experts are at the first Pharmaceutical Launch Excellence Summit in London this week, which is a conference dedicated to revolutionising launch strategy and management from clinical development into post-launch commercial success.
We caught up with the team before they headed into another packed day, and they highlighted the key trends from yesterday’s sessions. Discover their immediate takeaways in her article below.
Day one of the Pharma Launch Excellence Summit in London delivered an engaging start, sparking discussions about addressing the complexities of drug launches.
The emphasis on agility, collaboration, and innovation stood out. These often-overlooked capabilities can determine the success or failure of a launch, underscoring the importance of fostering them across teams.
Getting the Balance Right
The opening panel explored the challenge of aligning global strategies with local execution. Amgad Abulfutouh from Gilead and Sherif Elhaw from Pfizer shared insights into tailoring global plans to regional needs, grounded in customer-centricity. Their call to synthesise early market insights – beginning three years before launch – and their reminder that “science will never sell by itself” resonated strongly. Success demands a deep understanding of market needs, coupled with a compelling value proposition.
This focus aligned with Uptake’s Launch Excellence Report 2024, which highlights the importance of structured planning and decision-making in achieving launch excellence.
Will Goulding of Astellas introduced his “3 S’s for Launch Success”: simplicity, safety, and speed. Clear strategies, teams feeling safe to adapt, and agile execution are essential for navigating the increasingly complex launch landscape.
Chair Paula Albuquerque of UCB challenged attendees to balance short-term effectiveness with a long-term vision. She highlighted how faster launches in emerging markets, like Brazil, are diversifying risk and accelerating access. Launch timelines from FDA approval have dropped from 18 years in the 1990s to less than a year in some cases, showing how companies are adapting to global demands.
Evidence, Engagement, and Impact
Before lunch, a panel explored how evidence and engagement create impact. Troels Sorensen of BI introduced the idea of Target Population Outputs (TPOs), such as patient funnel metrics, to measure true market readiness alongside intent-to-prescribe metrics. The discussion reinforced the need for robust pre-launch tracking to enable course corrections.
Laura Wallace from Boehringer Ingleheim encapsulated this with: “We don’t sell products; we sell evidence.” Launch teams must identify and address data gaps early, partnering externally to meet stakeholder needs.
Danny Moore from Novartis revealed that UK uptake of new medicines per capita is about half that of comparable countries, emphasizing the need for partnerships to bridge the gap between NICE recommendations and real-world prescribing.
The session closed with Helen Kane’s advocacy for field medical teams. With the right strategy, tools, and training, these teams can create significant pre-launch impact by fostering meaningful engagement with healthcare systems.
AI: A Game-Changer for Launch Success
AI was a recurring theme, with Will Goulding showcasing its potential to transform launch strategies. Predictive analytics and real-time insights are enabling more precise decision-making and tailored engagement strategies.
However, AI’s value goes beyond efficiency. It empowers teams to course-correct quickly, aligning with Uptake’s emphasis on leveraging new data sources to drive launch success. Change management and leadership advocacy are essential to foster acceptance of AI as a tool for enhancing performance, not replacing human insight.
Sherif Elhaw likened cross-functional collaboration to a Formula One team, where success depends on seamless integration of many contributors. This analogy underscored the need for enterprise-wide alignment in pharma organisations.
Real-Life Examples and Looking Ahead
The afternoon featured case studies that brought the morning’s discussions to life, illustrating how these principles translate into real-world launch planning.
The day ended with a vibrant networking session. There was a shared sense of purpose in tackling the hurdles of launch excellence and seizing opportunities to adapt, innovate, and collaborate.
Day one reinforced the importance of bold strategies, adaptability, and delivering real value to patients and healthcare systems. Day two promises deeper dives into patient access and early planning. Here’s to more thought-provoking insights as the summit continues!
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